Past

Expert Picks

There's been a groundswell of support for Loyola-Chicago in this one from both the media and the bettors who have moved the line. This isn't lost on Miami, which won 22 games and went 11-7 in the rugged ACC. The Hurricanes were wildly inconsistent at times, are coming off squandering a double-digit lead against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament. Coach Jim Larranaga is a skilled motivator who is using the perceived disrespect of his team as a driving force Thursday. Look for the Hurricanes to respond.

Since 1985, the No. 6 seed has gone 83-49 against the No. 11, including 1-3 last season as 11 seeded USC, Xavier and Rhode Island won outright. In this case the seed differential is larger than the rating differential between schools. Those ratings have been off about Loyola all season which is why they went 20-9 ATS, the best among tournament teams. On the other side, Miami's rating has been off the other way, going 4-12 ATS in its last 16. The Ramblers come in on a 10-game win streak and full of confidence.